


Death Smiles On Us All

by totemwolfie



Series: Demons of Ironwood [8]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha x Alpha, Anal Sex, Blood, Bloody Sex, Bloody Violence, Blow Jobs, Demon Battles, Demons, Gay Sex, Gladiator Games, M/M, No point really, PWP, Porn with kind of a plot, Rough Sex, Short Story, Written For Fun, alpha demons, demon gladiators, demons of ironwood, established mates, gladiator area, gladiator battle, gladiator violence, pwp but not really, very short story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:14:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24496282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/totemwolfie/pseuds/totemwolfie
Summary: Maddox enters a gladiator battle for the fun and the money, and Brasch has to watch from the sidelines silently praying his idiot mate doesn't lose his head.
Relationships: Maddox / Brasch
Series: Demons of Ironwood [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1117452
Comments: 14
Kudos: 38





	Death Smiles On Us All

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this on May 7th, which is the 20th anniversary of the movie "Gladiator." I LOVE that movie, and while watching it, couldn't help imagine how gladiator battles/games would be in the Otherworld. Maddox has especially always enjoyed these fights, as they are an easy way to made gold and get out some of his killing need. I based this so hard off of scenes in the movie that it might as well be an AU or something. I watched movie clips, I listened to the soundtrack, and I read a lot on arenas and Colosseums and the games while writing it. But even with all that, this ended up so incredibly short that I feel like I should apologize??? But, I wrote what I wanted to: a gladiator fight. I can't stretch things out for a long period of time, so it ended up short. 
> 
> And, this is before Maddox and Brasch met August. These two characters were introduced in "The Sour Frog," and returned again for "In the August Heat." Those two short stories aren't necessary to read this.

Brasch looked at his mate, who was standing amongst the group of demons ready to enter the arena. Outside the pits the crowd in the Colosseum was deafening, already worked up by the previous three blood baths. Bodies were still being removed from the grounds and weapons gathered to be cleaned, inspected, and reused. Blood was cleaned from the walls and the dirt, and new obstacles were being erected. The Recovery Room, found through the underground tunnels that connected that gladiator pits, animal cages, and stables were still relatively filled with contestants that were still recovering. Those standing had either left to watch the next battles, collected their winnings and left, or had stormed out in anger and shame of their loss. 

Brasch, who moments ago had been in the Recovery Room, tending the survivors and easing into death the mortally wounded, frowned. He could hear the shrill sound of equines in the stables and something loud and threatening was in the creature paddocks. He could hear the creak of the elevators as they moved up into the arena to help the cleaners and carried up carts of clean sand to cover the ground. Around them other demons and Otherkin waited for their turn in the arena.

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” the Rage demon growled.

Maddox, holding a long spear and a shield, smiled at his mate. “Don’t tell me that you’re worried?”

“You’ve seen the bodies coming out of there, right? You’ve seen what I’ve had to do already,” he said. “The Governor has truly planned a violent set of games, as he promised when the event started selling tickets. What the fuck is even in the pens down there? It’s been rumbling since I arrived!”

“I heard it was a dragon!” shouted one waiting demon.

“A dragon? You’re fucking mad. It’s probably a group of ghouls,” argued another.

“I heard there was a pegasus earlier--did you see it, Healer?”

“It was a donkey with fake wings,” Brasch said as he turned his back to ignore the others. He focused his attention on his mate. Maddox, tall and strong and handsome, with deadly purple skin and two sets of beautiful black horns. The demon’s tail twitched and he smiled again before approaching Brasch.

Maddox set the shield down so he could grasp his shoulder. Even though Brasch wasn’t fighting he still wore armor over his chest and chain mail, and had a heavy sword at his side, along with the long white robes of a healer. Or, they had been white, now they were filthy and stained and smelled. He was covered with dried blood and dirty with mud and other fluids. The healer was as sweaty and tired as the warriors, using his healing magic to tend the wounded, and his strength to end the lives of the suffering.

But none of that was affecting him as much as his worry for his mate. Brasch’s skin was flushed red and his eyes were glowing with concern.

“My love, it’ll be fine. I’ve been done this hundreds of times,” Maddox reminded him. “And would you rather not be here? To heal me after my victory?”

“Our victory!” Shouted another Inferno demon who was standing with the group. There were six assorted demons, three alphas and three betas, all coming together for this particular fight. They pooled their money to enter the arena, and if they had victory, would get more than triple in return. The other four demons would have normally never worked with one, much less two Inferno demons, but in this situation it was their only chance to possibly win.

The games were an incredibly quick way to make gold fast, as long as the thought of losing a limb or life didn’t detour one.

“Yes, our victory,” Maddox said with a grunt. He smiled at Brasch’s increased frown and dipped his head down to kiss his forehead. He caught a few looks of disgust, but ignored them. “Brasch, my love, have faith in me!”

Brasch growled but he knew there was no way to stop this from happening. Maddox had paid the entry fee and was under contract to perform.

Because that’s exactly what this was: top tier Otherworld entertainment. Otherkin came from far away to watch the great battles of Actium. The kingdom was a small island, and it was covered in gladiator arenas and villages, with one shining capital city (also called Actium,) and surrounded on all sides by dark, haunted waters. The unclaimed dead were tossed into the waters from a u-shaped bridge that jutted from the cliff side to feed and appease the ancient sea monsters there. During the games the streets filled with traders and markets, all hoping to make gold off the flocks of spectators who came to watch the matches at various arenas. Even now, over the crowd, Maddox could hear music and could smell grilling food and the sweet perfume of traders.

“I will bring you the head of my enemy,” he vowed.

Brasch rubbed his forehead as a migraine started to pound in his head. “Who are you fighting exactly?”

“You didn’t see the billboards?” Asked one of the demon’s behind them.

“I don’t usually pay attention to the attractions,” Brasch said tiredly. “I’m just here to stitch you back together after you get your guts ripped out by a giant panther. Tell me, Maddox.”

Maddox squeezed the other alpha’s shoulder, “Don't get mad.”

Brasch, his skin growing even redder, growled, “Maddox. Who. Is. It.”

“The Scylax.”

Brasch really, really wanted to hit him. The Scylax were a group of chariot-fighters of Cambion demons. Though they were not of the larger species of demon, like Inferno, Rage, or Blood, they made up for their smaller size with speed and agility; they also trained from childhood to fight with bows and whips. They were renowned for their long-range skills and worked larger opponents to exhaustion by circling them with their chariots pulled by six-legged horses with cloven hooves, fangs, and could spit fire.

“You’re fucking stupid,” Brasch finally ground out.

Behind them a horn blew, followed by the bellowing crowd, their combined voices loud enough to shake dust from the ceiling and make the ground tremble beneath them.

“And you love me anyway,” Maddox said as he stole a kiss and spun away before Brasch actually did hit him. He secured his shield and turned back one last time before the gates opened.

“Don’t fucking die,” Brasch said. His mate, as well as the other Inferno demon, weren’t nearly as armored as the other demons. Once their skin heated it would melt away almost anything they wore, only things made for Inferno demons and enchanted to withstand their heat could be worn. Maddox wore heavy shoulder armor that was belted across his chest, gauntlets, ring mail across his chest, and his normal leather trousers because nothing else fit. He had chosen boots for agility with some plating belted over his lower legs for protection.

“I would never leave you.”

“Let death smile on us all!” crowed one of the younger betas. “We will have your victory today!”

Behind Brasch, an alpha laughed and said, “He’ll be the first one to die.”

…

The Actium Colosseum was the largest on the island, holding nearly ninety-thousand spectators. It was built from stone and the wood of ancient trees. The outside was decorated with shell and precious stones and bones of ancient sea monsters, while the inside was relatively plain so it could be decorated with banners and advertisements. Otherkin filled the seating and off to the right were the royal boxes for the governor and his mates, and for esteemed guests and the rich. Above them the retractable canopy had been pulled out to block the evening sun, though it did little to cast shade for the arena.

Despite the fresh sand and the clean up, Maddox could still smell the blood from the last matches. It energized him, and his blood pumping faster and his skin starting to heat up. The other Inferno demon, Drilax, was starting to steam as well, and his heat-proof armor was starting to turn red.

Above them the announcer, dressed in fine robes and wearing a golden crown of leaves, raised his hands for silence, then he spoke, “For our next game, I present the Horde of Axxium, and their opponents… the Chariots of the Scylax!!”

The large doors to the stables opened and bursting out were four gold chariots, each pulled by a set of horned equines, and accompanied by a driver and an archer. It was eight against six, if one did not count the horses, which could be just as dangerous as the archers and the drivers. Cambion demons were descended from the offspring produced between incubi and succubi mating with mortals. They were barely larger than a human, and with smaller horns and tails, and their skin ranged from pale blues and violets, to pale white and darker browns. 

The Scylax were a large group of gladiators and warriors, the title represented hundreds of Cambions across the worlds. No group took their own name or nickname, as they saw it more threatening to all be as one. They bred their own horses and built their own chariots and weapons, all skilled in the fine arts of weapons-making and having soft enough tempers to care for their animals. But in the area or the battlefield they were as dangerous as any larger demon.

With the exception of the Inferno demons, two of which stood on the arena sands now.

“Shields up and ready,” Drilax commanded as he whipped his tail. “Stay together.”

Maddox dared not steal a look back at the doors, knowing that Brasch would be there watching. He grinned, heart pumping and adrenaline filling him. The Chariots shook the ground as they circled the group of demons.

_WOOSH! THUNK!_

The first arrow hit Maddox’s shield just as he lifted it to his face. A single arrow couldn’t remove his head, but one to the eye could really fuck up his day. He curled his tail and growled, shuffling his feet, ready to spring into the fight.

“Maddox,” Drilax warned, “you want that gold or not?”

“I’m not going to sit here like a fucking duck!” shouted one of the beta males. He jumped out of the group as a chariot roared past, sword up and shield to the side. Two arrows struck him, one in the chest and one in the eye, but he still managed to sweep his sword at the driver, cutting off one hand and the reins. The chariot wobbled off it’s path and the crowd roared.

“Fucking moron,” someone behind Maddox snarled as they dragged the demon back into the group. He heard the snapping of arrows and the demon laughing.

“They’re pissed now, HOLD ON--” Maddox shouted. He dropped to one knee, Drilax at his side, their shields in the sand. The impact from the chariot wheel rocked them, but they didn’t knock them back. The crowd roared and arrows struck his shield. One ricocheted off his horns and hit someone behind him in the back.

“Another one, Maddox--”

Maddox waited for the chariot to get close, and then put his shoulder to his shield and charged forward, catching the wheel and pushing as hard as he could. The chariot overturned, the horses squealed, and the two demons shouted in surprise. He swung his shield to protect his back as he leaped over the broken chariot to attack the two demons.

An arrow hit him in the shoulder, another just missed his neck. He swung his sword down and cleaved off the arm of the demon with the bow, swiped at the other one.

The demon dodged and pulled a knife from his belt. It looked up at him, watching as his skin heated and his eyes glowed.

“Want to try it, little demon?” Maddox asked. He was as eager for blood and battle as the others, but he wasn’t cruel. There was always the option to tap out before it was too late, it meant no prize money and maybe wounded pride, but at least one wasn’t dead.

Both Cambion demons raised their hands.

They were out. He backed off and let the nurses come from a hidden door with stretchers to retrieve them. He flipped his sword as he turned towards the battle to see what he had missed.

The out-of-control chariot was racing around again. The horses had fire spitting from their mouths and the driver was trying to reign them in. The demon who had been shot in the eye with an arrow attempted to attack the steeds, but one whip from the driver had him on the ground and--

The horses trampled him and the chariot broke over his body. Maddox winced but didn’t rush to help, instead he turned his attention to the third chariot. 

_SWISH! THUNK!_

He growled, tail wagging. “Only cowards fight long-range,” he said as he stalked the chariot. His shield was covered in arrows and he had two sticking out of him. 

“There! Get it Flick!” shouted Drilax.

He stole a look as the demon threw a spear at the chariot driver, but he missed by a long shot, and was hit twice in the head by arrows. The demon went down and the chariot circled around. Maddox saw that their third alpha was gone, there was a pool of blood nearby and two abandoned spears. He must have been injured and tapped out.

While these fights could absolutely lead to death, all it took was a beheading, more often than not a demon tapped out before that happened. No amount of gold was usually worth dying in the arena, and most deaths were in the heat of the moment, accidental, or the result of rage between the two battling it out. Maddox wouldn’t risk his head here, he had too much to go home to, but he knew many demons who had lost theirs because they had gone up against a foe they couldn’t beat but had stubbornly refused to back off, and in the end, had died.

The horses that had broken away from their broken chariots were circling but more interested in trying to return to the stables than fight on their own. The two chariots going had picked up the fallen demons, each one had three, and their team was down to four.

“What’s your plan?” Maddox asked as he raised his shield against the THWAP of a steel-tipped whip.

“Overturn the wagon and cut off all their heads.”

A bit extreme, but that was Drilax. He shrugged. “Well, get your ass out there,” and he kicked the other Inferno in front of an oncoming chariot.

As expected the horses felt and smelled the heat coming off the demon and veered to avoid him. Drilax used his shield to absorb the impact of the chariot as it swung around, and it knocked him onto his back while the three riders were thrown different ways. 

Maddox went for the chariot still circling and charged it. He was met with two arrows in his knee and he stumbled, but not before throwing his sword at the demons. He heard a scream and a growl, and the chariot turned out of control as the driver fell out of the chariot. He pushed to his feet as one of the demons, a female with blue skin and bronze and leather armor, leaped at him with her whip. There was a SNAP and blood across his face from a cut over his nose. He snarled and brought the shield around, using it for both defensive and offense, charging her until he hit her into the nearest wall.

…

Brasch stood watching. Drilax had brought their group together for this fight, but they had clearly not done any kind of practice or even talked about their attack plan. When Maddox kicked the other Inferno in front of a charging chariot Brasch couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes and sighing.

His mate was bleeding, but he could tell from here that he was having a good time. Maddox loved a good, bloody fight. Only when he was being whipped at by a furious Cambion did he seem to snap, and his skin started to really steam and sizzle.

Brasch watched as another demon foolishly tackled the Inferno--

He was flabbergasted, had this creature never seen a demon like Maddox before? He winced at the scream and watched as the demon fell back, his armor melted into his flesh--

The horses were in one corner, two dragging broken chariots behind them. Three of the Cambions had tapped out, one from Drilax’s team had, one was motionless in the sand, and a third was struggling to stand because he had taken arrows to the face and one eye. Maddox was bleeding but he was standing tall and his eyes were blazing. Drilax was the same, his tail whipping and steam rolling off his skin in waves.

The remaining Cambions came together, bows raised and whips in hand. There was no way the were going to win against two furious Inferno demons. Had it not been for the two alphas, the Cambion should have absolutely won this game. One foolishly charged Drilax and the demon sliced his sword from belly to chest, spilling blood and guts everywhere.

Brasch watched as his mate and the other demon circled them--

Hands went up. They were tapping out.

The crowd roared, and there was some booing, but no prize was worth being melted alive or disemboweled.

Maddox backed off first, dropping his shield, but he turned back when he seemed to realize that Drilax wasn’t stopping.

Brasch tensed. If Drilax engaged when the game was called, they would not only lose their gold, but be fined as well. The other demons on Maddox’s team could do nothing against the blazing hot skin of the demon, but Maddox was quick to get in front of him. Brasch could see his mate shouting but couldn’t hear him. Maddox’s eyes were dark and full of threat, his tail whipping, and his fists clenched.

Drilax tried to move him, Maddox shoved him back; the crowd roared. When the other Inferno put his head down as if to charge, Maddox grabbed him by his main set of horns, dug his feet into the sand, and flipped him onto his back in the sand. The sand heated and steamed and the Cambion demons made their escape along with the rest of the Inferno’s team.

Brasch waited, watching, as Maddox pinned the other alpha down. A few hits were exchanged, and Maddox finally dug an arrow out of his own shoulder and stabbed the other demon in the neck--

Drilax gave himself a shake, his bloodlust finally ebbing, and sat up while his skin cooled. The crowd roared again and Maddox stood and offered the other demon his hand.

Brasch finally released the breath he was holding and turned away. He had been summoned minutes ago to the Recovery Room but hadn’t been able to pull himself away from the drama in front of him. If anyone had posed a danger to his mate, it was the other Inferno. He didn’t mind Drilax so much, but the demon was somewhat erratic, and Brasch would never follow him into an actual battle.

He wasn’t the only healer hired today, the other three had already set to work on the injured. Limbs were being reattached, arrows being dug out, the demon who had been run over by the chariot had splinters of wood and metal lodged in his skull and would need to be stabilized and taken somewhere for more extensive healing.

Brasch washed his hands and went to work.

…

Brasch was home and had taken a quick shower and dressed by the time Maddox arrived. The demon had been dragged out to celebrate his victory, and it had given Brasch time to deal with his headache and take a nap and rejuvenate some of his magic.

Then Maddox appeared in the living room, wearing his ruined armor, still bloody and sweaty and gross, holding a pouch of gold and grinning like a fool. Upon closer look, Brasch saw that his mate had also not cleaned or wrapped any of his wounds.

“Tell me you dug out the arrows.”

“They burned,” Maddox said as he dropped the pouch on the coffee table. He smile was cocky. “Are you proud of me?”

“I’ll be prouder if you would clean yourself up,” Brasch said.

Maddox stepped closer. “Would you bathe me, my love?”

“You’re such a nuisance,” Brasch sighed. But he walked with the other alpha to the bathroom. There he helped Brasch remove the dented and dirty armor. The Inferno demon was feeling especially excited and tried to kiss him whenever he was close.

“Stop that,” Brasch said without any hint of real agitation.

Maddox’s tail wagged and curled around the other demon’s upper thigh, and rubbed over his groin. “Don’t you think the champion deserves a true reward?”

“If anyone is a champion here it’s me,” he muttered as he pulled free the last of the broken shoulder plating. “For dealing with you now and how many other idiots earlier.”

Maddox purred excitedly. “I agree,” and he dropped to his knees. “I will worship you, my love.”

Brasch opened his mouth to argue that he would rather take care of Maddox’s issues first, but the demon was already mouthing him through his pants. He growled, skin starting to flush red, and tangled his hands in Maddox’s braids. 

Maddox pulled down his mate’s pants to free his half-hardened cock. With a pleased growl he licked it teasingly, coaxing it to its full length with his lips. Brasch’s grip tightened and he urged Maddox with a thrust of his hips.

He easily took Brasch’s cock into his mouth, groaning as he did. The demon standing over him grunted, clenching his teeth and grasping the kneeling demon’s horns for support. Like everything Maddox did, he sucked cock hard and fast. He easily swallowed Brasch again and again, and used his tongue and fangs to stimulate his length. He slowed only to suckled the precum from the crown, his tail wagging all the while.

Brasch suddenly pulled him away and jerked him to his feet. Maddox crushed their lips together as they stumbled back into the giant shower they had custom made to comfortably fit them both. Maddox used his tail to turn on the hot water as Brasch pulled off his clothing and tossed them out onto the floor.

Maddox growled excitedly as his mate’s skin reddened and his eyes glimmered. They kissed again, hard with lots of teeth. Brasch rumbled a deep growl as he pulled away and turned Maddox around. He ran his hands over the healing bruised and scrapes, stopping to tenderly kiss them while his tattoos started to glow.

The Inferno demon rested his head against the shower wall as Brasch healed his aches while also fingering him. His mate’s hands were talented and gentle. Too gentle for Maddox, but he understood why his mate, despite his fierce reputation as a Rage demon, was so sought after. Brasch could heal the worse injuries and had an aura around him that soothes.

“Don’t wear yourself out,” Maddox said. “I’m healing fine on my own.”

“Afraid I won’t be able to fuck you hard?” he asked as he twisted his finger.

“I do like it hard,” Maddox growled and thrust his hips back.

Brasch shook his head, a smile on his face, as he pulled his fingers out and sank his claws into his mate’s hips. Maddox rumbled excitedly and again pushed his hips back eagerly. He thrust inside, hard and unforgiving. To anyone smaller than Maddox it probably would have hurt them, broke and bled them, but the alphas has been together for centuries and they knew how the other liked to be taken.

There was nothing soft between them, not until they were sated and were enjoying the afterglow. Only then did their affections turn towards sweet and gentle. Until that time, they were rough, and sometimes even bloody.

Maddox let out a deep, guttural moan when Brasch sank his teeth into the back of his neck. The loud slap is their bodies filled the bathroom over the sound of the shower. Maddox braced his hands against the wall, claws curling into the stone tiles, as he was fucked.

He loved Brasch’s cock; thick and hot, it penetrated him just right and hit all his sweet spots. He rocked his hips back to meet each thrust, and groaned between clenched teeth.

Brasch sank his teeth into his mate’s shoulder as he held him against the wall, one hand gripping Maddox’s hip and the other holding his arm twisted behind his back. He pounded into him hard, until he came with a roar.

Maddox sighed as the scent of blood and cum flooded the shower. He waited until Brasch stopped moving and slumped against his back. Heavy, hot breaths against the back of his neck made Maddox shudder, before he urged Brasch back and turned around.

The Rage demon offered Maddox his back and was urged to his knees. With a grunt he bowed his head as his mate stretched him and just as quickly was pushing into him. Maddox’s skin was hot, filling the shower with steam, making them both sweat. With a bite to his back, Maddox started to move, fucking him hard enough that to an onlooker it might appear brutal. It was bruising and bloody but that’s how Brasch liked it. It loved feeling overpowered by his mate, pinned down while Maddox took what he wanted. Claws sank into his hips to hold him and teeth bit the back of his neck. Maddox’s braids, heavy and wet, draped over his shoulders and slid along Brasch’s back.

Maddox didn’t take long to finish. He pulled Brasch’s hips back as he came, filling him with his seed and watching as it pinkened with blood.

“All right, love?” He asked between heavy gasps for breath.

Brasch nodded. “Perfect,” he said. He grunted as Maddox pulled out of him, and the shower started to fill with water again as the demon’s skin cooled off. Maddox helped him to his feet and the two alpha demons shared a soft kiss.

They then cleaned each other, and Maddox washed Brasch’s short hair. The demon had had short hair ever since he was expelled from his clan, hundreds of years ago. Maddox wished that he would grow it out and don his braids, as Brasch was the most noble demon he knew, but he also knew that that decision was up to Brasch alone. For now he could support him, and press kisses against his ear and his neck, and tell him how much he loved him.

After drying off and dressing, the two made a quick meal and then went to bed together. They were both sated, full, and tired. Maddox was starting to feel the soreness of his battle and his fucking, and Brasch’s head was starting to hurt. So they curled up together for comfort, deep purrs rumbling from their chests. It had been the two of them since they were children, and Maddox knew they would be together until the All Tree lost its last leaf. Many had tried to separate them, many had ridiculed them and their “unnatural” union, but neither cared. All that mattered was their love for each other, and it would power them through anything.


End file.
